Municipal Wi-Fi Contents Introduction Description Component Municipal Wi-Fi Implementation Issues Conclusion References Appendices Introduction
Municipal WiFi are define as broadband Internet access service provided, either fully or partially, by local government. The means of connection include unlicensed wireless (Wi-Fi), licensed wireless (such as WiMAX), Line-of-Sight, and Fiber Optic technologies. The most widely used type of broadband is Wi-Fi, with reports of around 350 citywide projects in the U.S. being launched within the past few years. Local governments have taken advantage of the advances in wireless technology and are using these technologies to expand the range of services they provide and the locales in which those services are provided. These efforts may be grouped into three classes of efforts: (1) municipal provision of MAN-sized access networks; (2) mobile broadband services for public safety; and (3) community “hot spots.” While the first of these has already been occurring in the absence of wireless (e.g., via MEU deployment of broadband services), the latter two are uniquely associated with wireless technologies and, in particular, are providing interesting test cases of the new class of WLAN/MESH-based technologies for building up community access networks. Additionally, the municipalities that are deploying these wireless networks are utilizing the full spectrum of business models that we described earlier: (1) Retail service model; (2) Wholesale service model; (3) Franchisee model; (4) Real estate model; (5) Coordination model. In the following we provide a brief overview of selected examples of each of these networks to provide examples of the types of activity that are underway. These wireless networks are also expanding the range of services that can be supported. For example, in addition to supporting broadband access to residences and businesses, these wireless networks can also be used to support sensor networks and location-based services. History of WiFi Wireless networking has been around for some time. The University of Hawaii pioneered the wireless Local Area Network (LAN) idea with an experiment called ALOHANET way back in 1971. ALOHANET was an expensive, big iron system solving a serious problem, trading data among university sites scattered across four islands. Sun Microsystems created a perceptive hand-held mini-tablet computer called the Star 7 in 1992, which included 900 MHz wireless networking, but the poor Star 7 never made it to the market. Here are some of the advantages of Local Area Networks(LAN's):
Connected for continuous, rapid communication
Allow people to move files from one computer to another
Allow people to share a gateway to the Internet among several computers
How the municipal WiFi works Wireless Basics
The early days of home Internet access required using a modem connected to a computer to dial a number and maintain a connection. It was cumbersome and slow. The faster modems became, the more people realized how painfully sluggish data transmission had been in the days of 300 baud. Eventually, home users who could afford a jump in price could get broadband access via digital subscriber lines (DSL), cable and satellite. roadband access is faster than dial-up, but until recently you still to plug your computer into a wall jack or a piece of equipment. Wireless networking or WiFi has changed all that. Wireless networks use 802.11 networking standards to allow devices to communicate. In a WiFi network, data travels from place to place via radio waves. You still have to physically connect a wireless router to a modem, but you can move your computer from place to place. 802.11 networking uses the unlicensed radio spectrum to send and receive data. Many other parts of the spectrum, such as the bands that carry radio and TV signals, require a license to use. The unlicensed spectrum is accessible to anyone who has the right equipment. In the case of wireless computer networking, that's a wireless router and wireless technology in the device you're using.
Since 2002, many people have set up wireless networks in their homes. Businesses have done the same, giving their employees additional mobility. Public gathering places, like coffee shops, parks and libraries, have created WiFi hot spots, hoping to draw in additional businesses. The number of public hot spots has grown rapidly -- analysts estimate that there will be 200,000 of them by 2008. Now, cities have begun setting up municipal wireless networks. As of January 2006, 186 United States cities had their networks up and running or had definite plans to build one. That's up from 122 cities in the previous July. Some of these networks provide high-speed Internet access for free, or for substantially less than the price of other broadband services. Others are for city use only -- they allow police and fire departments and other city employees to do certain aspects of their jobs remotely. Cities currently proposing networks have several goals. They want to improve worker productivity, make the city more attractive to businesses, bolster the economy, bridge the digital divide or do all these things with one network. The United States is also 16th in the world in broadband penetration, which some leaders believe is a sign that the nation is falling behind. A wireless network might make broadband access more available and affordable for more people. Often called "municipal WiFi," these networks use more than just 802.11 networking. A wireless access point in a municipal network is also different from a typical WiFi hot spot. Next, we'll look at the "mesh" that makes a wireless network. Wireless Standards Wireless networking uses a range of standards -- the rules that routers and receivers use to communicate with each other. Most common are: · 802.11a - 54 Mbps data rate in the 5 GHz band of the radio spectrum · 802.11b - 11 Mbps, 2.4 GHz · 802.11g - 54 Mbps, 2.4 GHz · 802.11e - 54 Mbps, 2.4 GHz, with quality of service (QoS) protocols, which should improve VoIP and streaming media quality A separate standard, 802.16 (or WiMAX), transmits at 70 Mbps and has a range of up to 30 miles. It can operate in licensed or unlicensed bands of the spectrum from 2-6 GHz. WiMAX typically links multiple 802.11 networks or sends Internet data over long distances. Most WiFi hot spots in coffee shops and other locations have a hub and spoke configuration. One radio (the hub) sends and receives data for several users (the spokes). The wireless router has a physical connection to the Internet -- a wire -- and it transmits data from multiple users through that wire. Adding a wireless router to an existing wired connection is an easy, convenient way to provide wireless access on a small scale. Wireless routers are relatively inexpensive. Most allow people to choose from various sign-on and encryption options, providing a layer of security. But if a wireless router goes down, there's not always another router nearby to pick up the slack. And on a large scale, like a whole city, using a physical wire to connect every wireless router to the Internet is expensive. That's why most municipal wireless networks use a mesh rather than a hub and spoke. A mesh is a series of radio transmitters. Each transmitter is able to communicate with at least two others. They create a cloud of radio signals through the city. Signals travel from router to router through this cloud. In some networks, signals hop from one receiver to another until they reach a node that has a wired connection to the Internet. Other networks use backhaul nodes. These nodes do exactly what their name implies -- they gather up all the data from many transmitters and haul it back to the Internet by sending it to a router with a wired connection. Backhaul nodes are usually point-to-point or point-to-multipoint nodes. They can either connect one point to exactly one other, or they can connect one point to several points. Common Municipal Wi-Fi implementation issues Carrier - Class Security A municipal network can provide low-cost, high-speed access to the general population. Some cities have used this to justify the expense of the network. In theory, people who are no longer spending money on a high-speed connection will be able to put that money back into the local economy. Municipal entry into communication services may be justified economically inthree basic ways: as a response to a market failure; as part of the local government’s role in providing basic infrastructure services; or as a way to opportunistically take advantage of scale or scope economies afforded by investments or services that were put in place for another reason. The HotZone Duo system is one of a system that supports the Municipal Wi-Fi Networks with the embedded Next Generation Mesh Solution that double the flexibility of the network. HotZone Duo is a powerful next-generation dual-radio mesh network solution. Part of Motorola’s leading-edge MOTOwi4portfolio of products, it’s designed to give providers of high-speed public access networks the flexibility needed to meet short-term and long-range performance, affordability, capacity and ROI goals. The HotZone Duo system supports the latest IEEE 802.11i encryption standards for client access, while utilizing “SecureMesh,” a proprietary AES-based encryption for links between nodes. SecureMesh technology is designed to be compatible with the security methods being developed as part of the 802.11s standard. This capability makes HotZone Duo one of the only mesh networking solutions to offer carrier class voice and video prioritization, providing robust wireless Voice over IP (VoIP) and streaming video applications. The HotZone Duo system also supports IEEE 802.11p standard for QoS integration into existing wired networks. Even the service is free for all, but the wireless networks still need to require security procedures to protect data. This is especially true if public safety personnel are sharing the network with consumers. Wired equivalent privacy (WEP) and WiFi Protected Address (WPA) are common encryption methods that require users to have a key to log on. Some users can also use a virtual private network (VPN) or a firewall to prevent unauthorized access. Administrators can also use media access control (MAC) address filtering to make sure only authorized users connect. Public safety networks may also use intrusion detection systems to improve security.
Conclusion I think that Municipal Wi-Fi is an implementation well considerable to widen the economic growth with the technology. Municipal wireless networks have a lot of benefits, but not everyone is convinced that they're a good thing. In some states, municipal networks are illegal. Pending federal legislation may either clear the way for them or ban them entirely. Check out this map to see your state's stance. Here are some current arguments against the networks: If a city owns the network, it has an unfair advantage against private businesses. This could cause a decline in competition and give the city a monopoly. Internet access is a luxury rather than a necessity, so public funds should not be used to provide it. Benefits like reducing cost and providing a service that will attract new businesses haven't been proven. Some previous deployments have failed due to lack of interest or faulty equipment. The equipment itself will one day be obsolete and need replacement. The 802.11s standard is being developed to provide a common standard for meshed Wi-Fi systems. Providing for future multi-vendor interoperability, the Municipal Wi-Fi provides powerful investment protection today. References
Municipal Wireless Broadband (Lehr, Sirbu and Gillett)
Contents
Introduction
Description
Component Municipal Wi-Fi Implementation Issues
Conclusion
References
Appendices
Introduction
Municipal WiFi are define as broadband Internet access service provided, either fully or partially, by local government. The means of connection include unlicensed wireless (Wi-Fi), licensed wireless (such as WiMAX), Line-of-Sight, and Fiber Optic technologies. The most widely used type of broadband is Wi-Fi, with reports of around 350 citywide projects in the U.S. being launched within the past few years.
Local governments have taken advantage of the advances in wireless technology and are using these technologies to expand the range of services they provide and the locales in which those services are provided. These efforts may be grouped into three classes of efforts: (1) municipal provision of MAN-sized access networks; (2) mobile broadband services for public safety; and (3) community “hot spots.” While the first of these has already been occurring in the absence of wireless (e.g., via MEU deployment of broadband services), the latter two are uniquely associated with wireless technologies and, in particular, are providing interesting test cases of the new class of WLAN/MESH-based technologies for building up community access networks. Additionally, the municipalities that are deploying these wireless networks are utilizing the full spectrum of business models that we described earlier: (1) Retail service model; (2) Wholesale service model; (3) Franchisee model; (4) Real estate model; (5) Coordination model. In the following we provide a brief overview of selected examples of each of these networks to provide examples of the types of activity that are underway. These wireless networks are also expanding the range of services that can be supported. For example, in addition to supporting broadband access to residences and businesses, these wireless networks can also be used to support sensor networks and location-based services.
History of WiFi
Wireless networking has been around for some time. The University of Hawaii pioneered the wireless Local Area Network (LAN) idea with an experiment called ALOHANET way back in 1971. ALOHANET was an expensive, big iron system solving a serious problem, trading data among university sites scattered across four islands. Sun Microsystems created a perceptive hand-held mini-tablet computer called the Star 7 in 1992, which included 900 MHz wireless networking, but the poor Star 7 never made it to the market.
Here are some of the advantages of Local Area Networks(LAN's):
How the municipal WiFi works
Wireless Basics
The early days of home Internet access required using a modem connected to a computer to dial a number and maintain a connection. It was cumbersome and slow. The faster modems became, the more people realized how painfully sluggish data transmission had been in the days of 300 baud. Eventually, home users who could afford a jump in price could get broadband access via digital subscriber lines (DSL), cable and satellite.
roadband access is faster than dial-up, but until recently you still to plug your computer into a wall jack or a piece of equipment. Wireless networking or WiFi has changed all that. Wireless networks use 802.11 networking standards to allow devices to communicate. In a WiFi network, data travels from place to place via radio waves. You still have to physically connect a wireless router to a modem, but you can move your computer from place to place.
802.11 networking uses the unlicensed radio spectrum to send and receive data. Many other parts of the spectrum, such as the bands that carry radio and TV signals, require a license to use. The unlicensed spectrum is accessible to anyone who has the right equipment. In the case of wireless computer networking, that's a wireless router and wireless technology in the device you're using.
Since 2002, many people have set up wireless networks in their homes. Businesses have done the same, giving their employees additional mobility. Public gathering places, like coffee shops, parks and libraries, have created WiFi hot spots, hoping to draw in additional businesses. The number of public hot spots has grown rapidly -- analysts estimate that there will be 200,000 of them by 2008.
Now, cities have begun setting up municipal wireless networks. As of January 2006, 186 United States cities had their networks up and running or had definite plans to build one. That's up from 122 cities in the previous July. Some of these networks provide high-speed Internet access for free, or for substantially less than the price of other broadband services. Others are for city use only -- they allow police and fire departments and other city employees to do certain aspects of their jobs remotely.
Cities currently proposing networks have several goals. They want to improve worker productivity, make the city more attractive to businesses, bolster the economy, bridge the digital divide or do all these things with one network. The United States is also 16th in the world in broadband penetration, which some leaders believe is a sign that the nation is falling behind. A wireless network might make broadband access more available and affordable for more people.
Often called "municipal WiFi," these networks use more than just 802.11 networking. A wireless access point in a municipal network is also different from a typical WiFi hot spot. Next, we'll look at the "mesh" that makes a wireless network.
Wireless Standards
Wireless networking uses a range of standards -- the rules that routers and receivers use to communicate with each other. Most common are:
· 802.11a - 54 Mbps data rate in the 5 GHz band of the radio spectrum
· 802.11b - 11 Mbps, 2.4 GHz
· 802.11g - 54 Mbps, 2.4 GHz
· 802.11e - 54 Mbps, 2.4 GHz, with quality of service (QoS) protocols, which should improve VoIP and streaming media quality
A separate standard, 802.16 (or WiMAX), transmits at 70 Mbps and has a range of up to 30 miles. It can operate in licensed or unlicensed bands of the spectrum from 2-6 GHz. WiMAX typically links multiple 802.11 networks or sends Internet data over long distances.
Most WiFi hot spots in coffee shops and other locations have a hub and spoke configuration. One radio (the hub) sends and receives data for several users (the spokes). The wireless router has a physical connection to the Internet -- a wire -- and it transmits data from multiple users through that wire.
Adding a wireless router to an existing wired connection is an easy, convenient way to provide wireless access on a small scale. Wireless routers are relatively inexpensive. Most allow people to choose from various sign-on and encryption options, providing a layer of security.
But if a wireless router goes down, there's not always another router nearby to pick up the slack. And on a large scale, like a whole city, using a physical wire to connect every wireless router to the Internet is expensive.
That's why most municipal wireless networks use a mesh rather than a hub and spoke. A mesh is a series of radio transmitters. Each transmitter is able to communicate with at least two others. They create a cloud of radio signals through the city. Signals travel from router to router through this cloud.
In some networks, signals hop from one receiver to another until they reach a node that has a wired connection to the Internet. Other networks use backhaul nodes. These nodes do exactly what their name implies -- they gather up all the data from many transmitters and haul it back to the Internet by sending it to a router with a wired connection. Backhaul nodes are usually point-to-point or point-to-multipoint nodes. They can either connect one point to exactly one other, or they can connect one point to several points.
Common Municipal Wi-Fi implementation issues
Carrier - Class Security
A municipal network can provide low-cost, high-speed access to the general population. Some cities have used this to justify the expense of the network. In theory, people who are no longer spending money on a high-speed connection will be able to put that money back into the local economy. Municipal entry into communication services may be justified economically inthree basic ways: as a response to a market failure; as part of the local government’s role in providing basic infrastructure services; or as a way to opportunistically take advantage of scale or scope economies afforded by investments or services that were put in place for another reason.
The HotZone Duo system is one of a system that supports the Municipal Wi-Fi Networks with the embedded Next Generation Mesh Solution that double the flexibility of the network. HotZone Duo is a powerful next-generation dual-radio mesh network solution. Part of Motorola’s leading-edge MOTOwi4portfolio of products, it’s designed to give providers of high-speed public access networks the flexibility needed to meet short-term and long-range performance, affordability, capacity and ROI goals. The HotZone Duo system supports the latest IEEE 802.11i encryption standards for client access, while utilizing “SecureMesh,” a proprietary AES-based encryption for links between nodes. SecureMesh technology is designed to be compatible with the security methods being developed as part of the 802.11s standard. This capability makes HotZone Duo one of the only mesh networking solutions to offer carrier class voice and video prioritization, providing robust wireless Voice over IP (VoIP) and streaming video applications. The HotZone Duo system also supports IEEE 802.11p standard for QoS integration into existing wired networks.
Even the service is free for all, but the wireless networks still need to require security procedures to protect data. This is especially true if public safety personnel are sharing the network with consumers. Wired equivalent privacy (WEP) and WiFi Protected Address (WPA) are common encryption methods that require users to have a key to log on. Some users can also use a virtual private network (VPN) or a firewall to prevent unauthorized access. Administrators can also use media access control (MAC) address filtering to make sure only authorized users connect. Public safety networks may also use intrusion detection systems to improve security.
Conclusion
I think that Municipal Wi-Fi is an implementation well considerable to widen the economic growth with the technology. Municipal wireless networks have a lot of benefits, but not everyone is convinced that they're a good thing. In some states, municipal networks are illegal. Pending federal legislation may either clear the way for them or ban them entirely. Check out this map to see your state's stance. Here are some current arguments against the networks: If a city owns the network, it has an unfair advantage against private businesses. This could cause a decline in competition and give the city a monopoly. Internet access is a luxury rather than a necessity, so public funds should not be used to provide it. Benefits like reducing cost and providing a service that will attract new businesses haven't been proven. Some previous deployments have failed due to lack of interest or faulty equipment. The equipment itself will one day be obsolete and need replacement. The 802.11s standard is being developed to provide a common standard for meshed Wi-Fi systems. Providing for future multi-vendor interoperability, the Municipal Wi-Fi provides powerful investment protection today.
References